John Penn, born to an affluent family in Caroline County, Virginia, lost his father at the age of eighteen. He was licensed to practice law in Virginia at twenty-two and later moved to Granville County, North Carolina. There he established a law practice and became a member of the political community. In 1775, he was elected to attend the provincial Congress, and that same year he was elected to the Continental Congress, where he participated in committee work until 1777. He was reelected in 1779 and appointed to the Board of War, serving until 1780. Due to failing health, he declined becoming a judge in Virginia and retired to engage in his law practice.
